The year of the founding of Veliky Novgorod and its history. What is considered the date of foundation of the settlement?
Recently, there has been constant and ongoing debate in the media and the Internet about the founding date of this or that settlement. It should be noted that before the war, such disputes were also dealt with. Evgeny Dmitrievich Petryaev recalled in one of his letters that back in the 1930s, one of the secretaries of the Sverdlovsk regional committee of the CPSU (b) died right in his office during one such fierce dispute.
Evgeniy Dmitrievich believed that before arguing about the founding date of a particular settlement, one must decide on the question: “What is considered the founding date?”
Since the anniversary of Moscow was celebrated after the war, many historians began to calculate the founding date according to the first mention in the chronicles. However, it is known that the celebration of the anniversary of the founding of Moscow after the war, as well as the anniversary of the founding of Vyatka in 1957, had only one goal - to “pull” as much money as possible from the State budget for the development of the city’s infrastructure for the anniversary. I have already written about this.
I will also note that many critical articles and fundamental works on this topic appeared in historical collections of the late 1940s and early 1950s. Unfortunately, many of these works are forgotten today. These works are striking in the number of references to archival sources, and yet most scientists at that time had very poor living conditions and food. However, they worked conscientiously.
And today there is something to work on. This is what was discovered in one of the books in Herzenko’s collections:
“Regiments from different cities united on Vyatka near Kotelnich. Here the Vyatchans also joined them, who, having heard that the Kazan people were coming at them, returned to Vyatka, leaving only 300 of their own with the Moscow regiments.”
“The Kazan ambassador, who was in Vyatka in 1469, let his king know that a ship’s army was coming from Vyatka to Kazan, but it was small.”
Ekzemplyarsky A.V. - Great and appanage princes of Northern Rus' in the Tatar period from 1238 to 1506. Biographical sketches based on primary sources and the most important manuals. Volume one. Grand Dukes of Vladimir and Vladimir-Moscow. St. Petersburg: Edition of Count I.I. Tolstoy, 1899, pp. 193-194.
This is another confirmation that Vyatka was located where the village of Yuryevo, Kotelnicheskiy district, Kirov region, is located today. Other documents confirming this fact were also found.
And another interesting excerpt:
“1174 - foundation of the city of Khlynov (future Vyatka) by Novgorod natives.” Calendar of the Volzhsky Vestnik for 1888. Kazan, 1888, p.132.
The same date is also mentioned by the painstaking researcher of the history of the Vyatka region, Alexander Ivanovich Veshtomov.
Thus, next year we must celebrate 840 years of existence of the city of Vyatka. Who really wants to reduce the founding date of the city of Vyatka by 200 years, I still don’t understand.
I would especially like to note that there are settlements, disputes about the date of their foundation are inappropriate. This is the village.
However, that was not the case. District managers in the village of Suna, Suna district, Kirov region, have the ability to organize disputes about the founding date out of nowhere. Veniamin Ivanovich Izmestiev, a painstaking local historian from the village of Suna, Suna district, Kirov region, struggles there like a fish on ice. I wrote a lot of paper for appeals. However, the administration of the Sunsky district continues to discuss this topic, inviting local historian Oleg Nikolaevich Vinogradov as an expert from Kirov. And there is absolutely nothing to argue about.
Veniamin Ivanovich managed to obtain a certificate from the Russian State Archive of Ancient Acts dated June 30, 2009, where it is written in black and white that the charter for the construction of the temple in Suna was issued by Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich on September 15, 1650. This document is the earliest document on the history of the regional capital of Song. I’ll specifically provide a photocopy of the certificate at the end of the message.
I would also like to note that if the Suna district administration wants to know when the first settlers appeared on the site of the Suna village, then there is only one way - to conduct archaeological excavations. By the way, in the UK there are many foundations that finance such scientific work well. Almost all UK universities carry out this work. Maybe students from these universities will be interested in working on excavations in our Kirov region. So, get a grant and excavate.
I draw the attention of the “experts” to the fact that in the personal fund of our wonderful architect Boris Viktorovich Zyrin, located in the GAKO, there is a large card index of documents for the construction of churches in the Vyatka region, which he identified in the archives of Moscow and Leningrad back in Soviet times with the exact addresses of all documents .
The official date of the founding of St. Petersburg is May 27, 1703 (according to the old calendar, May 16). Initially, until 1914 it was called St. Petersburg, then Petrograd, and until September 6, 1991 it was called Leningrad.
History of the founding of the city on the Neva
The history of the beautiful city on the Neva of St. Petersburg dates back to 1703, when Peter I founded a fortress called St. Petersburg on the land of Ingria, conquered from the Swedes. The fortress was planned personally by Peter. The Northern capital received the name of this fortress. The fortress was named Peter in honor of the holy apostles Peter and Paul. After the construction of the fortress, a wooden house was built for Peter, with oil-painted walls imitating brick.
In a short time, the city began to grow on what is now the Petrograd side. Already in November 1703, the first church in the city called Trinity was built here. They named it in memory of the date the fortress was founded; it was founded on the feast of the Holy Trinity. Trinity Square, on which the cathedral stood, became the first city pier where ships approached and unloaded. It was on the square that the first Gostiny Dvor and the St. Petersburg tavern appeared. In addition, here one could see buildings of military units, service buildings and craft settlements. The new city island and Zayachiy, where the fortress stood, were connected by a drawbridge. Soon buildings began to appear on the other side of the river and on Vasilyevsky Island.
They planned to make it the central part of the city. Initially, the city was called “St. Peter-Burch” in Dutch style, since Holland, namely Amsterdam, was something special for Peter I and one might say the best. But already in 1720 the city began to be called St. Petersburg. In 1712, the royal court, and subsequently official institutions, began to slowly move from Moscow to St. Petersburg. From that time until 1918, the capital was St. Petersburg, and during the reign of Peter II the capital was again moved to Moscow. For almost 200 years, St. Petersburg was the capital of the Russian Empire. It’s not for nothing that St. Petersburg is still called the Northern capital.
The significance of the founding of St. Petersburg
As mentioned above, the founding of St. Petersburg is associated with the founding of the Peter and Paul Fortress, which had a special purpose. The first structure in the city was supposed to block the fairways along two branches of the delta of the Neva and Bolshaya Nevka rivers. Then, in 1704, the Kronstadt fortress was built on the island of Kotlin, which was supposed to serve as a defense for Russia’s maritime borders. These two fortresses are of great importance both in the history of the city and in the history of Russia. In founding the city on the Neva, Peter I pursued important strategic goals. First of all, this ensured the presence of a waterway from Russia to Western Europe, and, of course, the founding of the city cannot be imagined without a trading port located on the spit of Vasilievsky Island, opposite the Peter and Paul Fortress.
It is from here that the Russian fleet originates: here, on the orders of Peter I, the first warships were built, which were to win the famous battle with the Turks for the Azov fortress. This is the birthplace of the airborne assault - the celebration of Airborne Forces Day on August 2 was established in honor of the successful training landing of “winged infantry” at the local training ground that took place in 1930. The enterprise "KB Khimavtomatiki" developed a rocket engine that made it possible to achieve the second cosmic speed, and the world's first mass production of supersonic aircraft was organized at the aircraft plant.
The city was destroyed several times - it was practically destroyed by the Kanev Circassians at the end of the 16th century, it was seriously damaged by a fire in 1748 and suffered huge losses during the Great Patriotic War - less than 10% of residential buildings survived. And every time destruction was followed by revival. Recovery proceeded at an incredible pace. So, just seven years after liberation from the Nazi invaders, the capital of the Black Earth Region began to live a full life again: almost all the houses were restored or rebuilt, factories and factories, cinemas and museums began to operate.
Briefly about the origin
The official history of the creation of Voronezh begins in 1586 - the date of formation and foundation of the fortress, intended to protect the southeastern borders of the Moscow state, which later became a city. A new military fortification arose on the site of a guard post erected a year earlier. Semyon Saburov, who belonged to a prominent boyar family, was appointed builder and first governor by royal decree. 140,000 rubles in gold were allocated from the treasury for the construction of the fortress.
The decision to create a number of fortifications on the southern borders was caused by the need to protect the state from the Nogai and Crimean Tatars, as well as in order to secure ownership of this territory for the Russian government.
Cossacks and peasants from Dankovsky and Ryazhsky districts took part in the construction of the fortress. It is believed that they were involved primarily in the most difficult work associated with cutting timber and delivering it to the construction site. However, residents of the districts were also called for military service in the future city. Many Don atamans expressed their desire to serve in the fortress.
Semyon Saburov, who personally supervised the construction of wooden towers and walls, was recalled back to Moscow immediately after the completion of the fortress. It is noteworthy that the governor’s further life was spent in border cities and observation points of our country: Novgorod (formerly front-line with Sweden), Siberian Tobolsk and now Ukrainian Chernigov. Despite the fact that the boyar was not connected with the Voronezh region by his origin and stayed in it for only a few years, he was and remains one of the most respected and revered historical figures of the Black Earth Region.
For a long time, the Saburovs’ family sign was used as the city’s coat of arms, which the city planner placed on all papers during official correspondence. It consisted of a helmet, a silver arrow, a golden lance and a sword held in an eagle's paw. These symbols perfectly characterized the original purpose of the fortress, which, by the way, coincided with the boyars’ duty - to defend their homeland.
The fortress was expected to develop rapidly, which was greatly facilitated by its favorable location. Located at the crossroads of trade routes, it quickly turned from a purely military fortification into a trading hub.
The first description of the city of Voronezh appeared in 1615 in the Watch Book, otherwise called the Watch Book. Among other information, the authors provide the population at that time - about 6-7 thousand people. And this despite the fact that in 1590 the fortress was virtually wiped off the face of the earth by the Circassians.
Origin of the toponym
The origin of the name Voronezh is one of the most interesting and controversial topics related to the history of the city. For a long time, scientists, local historians and amateur enthusiasts have put forward various theories, none of which have convincing evidence.
One version is its origin from the word “crow”. This etymology was also adhered to by the famous linguist Ivan Sreznevsky, who in the 19th century published many ethnographic works on the southern regions of the Russian Empire. Later, the point of view of the Russian scientist was supported by the German Slavic scholar Max Vasmer, who was born in 1886 in St. Petersburg (in our country he was called Maximilian Romanovich).
Indirect evidence of the correctness of Sreznevsky and Vasmer can be found in the works of another famous researcher - Vladimir Zagorovsky (1925-1994). He mentions two rivers in the Black Earth Region with the name Vorona, and the second of them, in order to avoid confusion, was called “Voronazh” (“also Vorona” or “small Vorona”).
In disputes, supporters of this etymology often mention other cities that have the suffix “-onezh” (presumably “territory, region”) in their names: for example, Radonezh.
The word "crow" in the name does not necessarily mean a bird. It is possible that it was used in the meaning of “blacken.” Among other Old Slavic words with this root, one can recall the adjective “voronoy [horse]” and the ancient name for black nightshade berries - voroniyazhka.
Those who hold this opinion have their reasons. Even the ancient Greek historian Herodotus wrote about a certain tribe of Melanchlens (translated as “black clothes”) living north of the Black Sea region. It would not be amiss to remember the many names of rivers associated with the color black: the Spanish Rio Negro, the Kazakh Karasu, the Chinese Heishui (“Black Water”) and hundreds of other toponyms around the world.
Additionally, the color is associated with earth and farming. The farmers (rabble) who lived in the region could be called “blacking”, which ultimately gave the name to the area, the river or rivers, and the future fortress.
Another variant of the etymology of the city: the Slavic name Voroneg. That was the name of the semi-mythical man who founded another Voronezh in the 9th century - Ukrainian, located on the territory of modern Sumy region. It is noteworthy that near the village that still exists today there are many toponyms similar to those existing in the region: the settlements of Romny and Ramen, the village and the Devitsa river and many others.
Supporters of this theory believe that Voronezh is connected with settlers, who perpetuated their native names in new rivers and villages.
A number of researchers insist that the name of the city is of non-Slavic origin. In 1946, Soviet linguist Alexander Popov (1899-1973), who studied Finno-Ugric peoples, suggested that the word comes from the Mordovian “vir nezhe” (literally “Forest protection”). Mordovian tribes lived on the territory of the current capital of the Black Earth Region in the 6th-7th centuries. The local forests and rivers served as protection for them from Tatar raids.
Another version of the foreign origins of the name is associated with the Turkic language, namely with the words “onega” and “thief”, meaning water and forest.
There are other versions of the origin in which “hedgehog” and “knife” appear, but these etymologies should be attributed to folklore and not taken seriously.
From the foundation to the present day
The history of Voronezh in the 16th-17th centuries is associated with wars and uprisings. Being in confrontation with the official authorities, the city supported False Dmitry I, did not accept Shuisky as ruler and unsuccessfully tried to shelter False Dmitry II. The inhabitants of the fortress refused to swear allegiance to the Polish prince and started a rebellion, which very quickly turned into a complete failure. The rebels were defeated and fled.
With the end of the Troubles, development began at an accelerated pace. Numerous transport routes passed along the Don - both trade and diplomatic. Thus, in 1627, the future capital of the Black Earth Region received the Constantinople ambassador Thomas Cantacuzene, and in 1628 - the Turkish embassy returning from Moscow.
The tasks of the governor included providing distinguished guests and their servants with everything they needed. Merchants also contributed to the replenishment of the treasury - Voronezh was a convenient and safe place to stop, rest and replenish provisions. Voivodes offered protection and escort to traders outside the city limits. Considering how real the danger of an attack by the Tatars was, many local residents agreed to help.
Unfortunately, the peaceful period was short-lived - in the middle of the 17th century, peasant uprisings broke out in the Moscow state. During the peasant war, the governors were able to prevent a rebellion, although the uncle of Stepan Razin, who led the rebellion, lived on the territory of the fortress. However, it was not always possible to avoid unrest.
In 1670, the defensive structures fell into complete disrepair. A decision was made to update and rebuild them. The primary concern was wooden structures and the catastrophic consequences of their fire. In 1673, an impressive fire occurred in the city, which destroyed a huge number of residential buildings. During the restoration, the previous mistakes of the city planners were taken into account and all non-residential buildings became more spacious.
A new page in the history of the city of Voronezh and the region as a whole was the tsar’s decision to build a navy. The presence of valuable timber and a good location were the main reasons why Peter I chose these territories as the site for the construction of the shipyard.
The whole life of the settlement was drawn to the river. For the needs of shipbuilding, a cannon factory, as well as cloth, leather and rope factories were built. The population grew to 30,000 with sailors and shipbuilders, as well as people employed in the production of sails, ropes and other products for the navy. Educational institutions for officers and shipbuilders appeared.
In gratitude to Peter I, the residents of Voronezh erected a monument to him in 1860, which became one of the first in Russia.
In 1709, due to the shallowing of the river, the shipyard was moved five kilometers downstream, which negatively affected business activity and led to a decrease in the number of residents. But no serious decline was expected. Local merchants bought the cloth factory and founded their own manufactories, and the fire that occurred in 1748 served as an impetus for the reconstruction of the city and the accelerated construction of new buildings. By 1777, more than 70 stone buildings had been erected, as well as 2,000 new wooden ones (at the end of the century their number was 107 and 2,041).
By the end of the 18th century, 7 merchants of the first guild lived in Voronezh (status implied at least 16,000 rubles in possession), more than 40 of the second guild (required capital - 8,000 rubles) and over 200 of the third guild (from 2,000 rubles).
The city lived not only by trade. Factories and plants, educational institutions and a printing house were opened, which became a full-fledged publishing house, around which a special literary circle was formed.
Residents of the capital of the Black Earth Region took an active part in the Patriotic War of 1812. 10 people's militias opposed Napoleon's troops. This ability to unite against the enemy will be demonstrated more than once by local residents.
In the second half of the 19th century, a railway line was built from Kozlov to Ryazan, becoming one of the first in Russia built not with budget funds, but with the involvement of private capital. The emergence of reliable, fast communications with other regions had a positive impact on the development of metallurgical and processing production. By 1870, the line had become the busiest and most profitable in our country.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the city's population reached almost 100,000 people. Over 15% of the total number of residents was employed in industry. A large number of gymnasiums and schools appeared, as well as an agricultural institute. Later its status was changed - it became the Agrarian University and was included in the list of leading higher education institutions.
The events of October 1917 passed almost bloodlessly for Voronezh, but two years later it found itself in the epicenter of the Civil War.
During the Great Patriotic War, the former fortress came under occupation and was located directly on the front line for 200 days. As historians note, in terms of the level of destruction the city could be compared with Stalingrad, Sevastopol and Minsk. And again, as has happened more than once over more than four centuries, the buildings were restored in record time, and their former appearance was preserved as much as possible.
Unfortunately, many monuments could not be preserved or restored. And not only through the fault of the invaders - some of the significant structures were lost in peacetime.
The awarding of the title of historical city of Russia to Voronezh back in 1990 revived interest in the history, the issue of the origin and research of the region, including at the amateur level. Numerous publications have been published covering various periods. Monuments to famous writers born here were erected: Ivan Bunin and Andrei Platonov.
A brief summary of the history of Voronezh gives a general idea of its content, but leaves aside many important and significant events that influenced the development of the region, the formation of a special environment and a unique atmosphere.
City today
This place still holds many secrets that attract new generations of local history researchers. Perhaps in the near future not only new versions of the origin of the name will appear, but the date of its origin will also be revised. The first written mention of Voronezh dates back to 1177 (in the famous Laurentian Chronicle it is called Voronozh), which means that if anyone manages to prove that we are talking about the same settlement, the city will age by almost 400 years.
Now Voronezh is the industrial and cultural center of the Black Earth Region, which intricately combines the present time and rich history, captured not only in photographs, but also in numerous attractions that are always popular among tourists. Its parks and museums, buildings in which signs of past eras come to life, attract more and more lovers of antiquity and those who just want to stroll along the quiet streets, see the monument to Peter I and the hero of the book by G. N. Troepolsky, look at the ship moored on Admiralteyskaya Square. The indigenous people appreciate the unique atmosphere and are confident that without this former fortress, the chronicle of the country would be incomplete.
When did humanity first learn about Russia? Who was its founder? What is the founding date of Russia? The first mention of the state appeared in chronicles in the 10th century. The memoirs of the Byzantine king mainly talk about the ceremonies that took place in the state and how it was governed.
Our compatriot chroniclers mentioned the word “Russia” in Cyrillic four centuries later, and the title of one of the metropolitans, Kipran, indicated that he was “Metropolitan of Kiev and all Russia.” The modern spelling with two letters “s” appeared in the middle of the 17th century, and was finally established during the reign of Peter I. Four centuries have passed since then, and Russia has become one of the most powerful states in the whole world. When did it declare itself as a power?
Date of foundation of Russia as a state
The country has gone through a thorny path to this day and has been reformed at least five times. But everyone knows that it was a single state with a huge territory. The first mention of Russia as a state occurred in the 13th century, when all the Slavs united under the banners of the Rurikovichs, and it was named Kievan Rus in 862.
List of the most ancient cities
A list of the founding dates of Russian cities is presented to clearly show the oldest cities in the state. The most interesting thing is that neither Moscow nor Tula are included in this list, although they are also considered one of the most ancient cities in Russia. All data is presented as of 2014.
- Ryazan. With a population of 533 thousand people, this city is known for its tourist spots, because it is one of the most ancient lands in Russia. Many architectural monuments attract tourists from all over the country and the world, giving them the opportunity to feel that time and atmosphere.
How did the chronicler Kirill Murom mention it?
City Moore It was first mentioned in the chronicle “The Tale of Bygone Years.” Only with her help was it possible to find out the origin and name of this city. A long time ago, on the site of the city lived tribes of Finno-Ugric Slavs who called themselves “Muroms”. In 988, this city came under the control of the son of Prince Vladimir Gleb. Tourists show interest in the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery, which is called one of the most ancient in the whole country.
In ancient chronicles for 1024 the name of the city is mentioned Suzdal, as well as the revolt of the Magi, which glorified this city. There are also earlier records that this settlement was created from the merger of several villages. An interesting fact is that on the territory of this city there is a huge number of different monuments, and only 10 thousand people live there, but every year more and more tourists arrive there.
Smolensk is our hero
Hero City Smolensk with a population of 330 thousand people, like the city of Murom, was first mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years in 946 as a settlement in which the Krivichi lived - a mixture of East Slavic tribes. According to the chronicle, Prince Oleg, who captured this city and made it his own, appointed his son Igor to rule there, who could not cope with his task due to his young age.
Velikiy Novgorod can rightfully be considered one of the most famous cities in Ancient Rus', as well as one of its centers since the beginning of the founding of Russia. Until 882, this was its center, until the city of Kyiv, located on the territory of Ukraine, became it. St. Sophia Cathedral is the most ancient landmark in Veliky Novgorod, along with the Novgorod Kremlin. All tourists traveling along the Golden Ring visit this city, because only there you can feel the very atmosphere of ancient Rus'. At the moment, 200 thousand people live there.
Staraya Ladoga Previously it stood on the border with all the states warring with the ancient Russians. It was destroyed and rebuilt countless times, and during one of the so-called restorations, it was turned into a city, not a border fortress. This reconstruction dates back to 753 and is notable for the fact that it was here that the first of the Ruriks lived. The population of Staraya Ladoga is only two thousand people.
Independent Russia
In 1990, when the first president, Boris Yeltsin, was elected, and the country itself gained independence and became the Russian Federation, it can rightfully be considered Russia Day, and the founding date of the state is June 12. Having gone through a thorny path, the state turned out to be completely free and began to proudly bear the name - Russia. Since 1991, June 12 has been a non-working day; currently, on this day the president of the country issues state awards in the Kremlin. Throughout the country, it is customary to consider the date of the founding of Russia as City Day, which means that at the end of the day, festive fireworks thunder throughout the country and ceremonial events take place.
Political party that governs the country
The most famous political party is United Russia, whose founding date is considered to be December 1, 2001. It is considered the “party of power” in the country, having been at the head of the country for many years now. The party's leader is Dmitry Medvedev, who holds office under current President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. In addition to this party, there are more than 15 political blocs in the country
Russia is an ancient country. And on its territory there are many cities whose age has exceeded a thousand years. The historical and cultural heritage that they have preserved is an invaluable gift from past generations to future generations.
We present to you the oldest cities in Russia.
The official date of foundation of one of the cities that now makes up the Golden Ring of Russia is considered to be 990. And the founder is Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich.
Under the leadership of Vladimir Monomakh and Yuri Dolgoruky, the city became an important stronghold for the defense of the Rostov-Suzdal principality. And under Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, Vladimir became the capital of the principality.
During the Tatar raids (1238 and later), the city surprisingly did not suffer much. Even the Golden Gate has survived to this day, although in a slightly different form from its original form.
On the territory of Vladimir there is the Vladimir Central prison, glorified by Mikhail Krug, built under Catherine II. It contained such famous personalities as Vasily Stalin, the son of Joseph Stalin, Mikhail Frunze and dissident Julius Daniel.
9. Bryansk -1032 years
It is not known exactly when exactly the city of Bryansk arose. The approximate date of its foundation is considered to be 985.
In 1607, the city was burned so that it would not fall to False Dmitry II. It was rebuilt and for the second time survived the siege of the troops of the “Tushinsky Thief”.
In the 17th century, Bryansk was one of the most important trading centers in Russia. And currently it is an important industrial center of the country.
8. Pskov – 1114 years
The founding date of Pskov is considered to be 903, when the city was first mentioned in the Laurentian Chronicle. Olga, the first Christian princess in Rus' and the wife of the Kyiv prince Igor Rurikovich, originally from Pskov.
For a long time, Pskov was one of the largest cities in Europe and was an impregnable barrier on the western borders of the country.
And in March 1917, while at Pskov station, the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II abdicated the throne and simply became a citizen of Romanov.
7. Smolensk - 1154 years
In September, beautiful and ancient Smolensk will celebrate its anniversary - 1155 years since its founding. It is only one year behind its closest rival in terms of mention in the chronicles (863 versus 862 for Murom).
For many centuries, this “key city” protected Moscow from attacks by a number of European countries. During the Time of Troubles, the residents of Smolensk heroically held a siege for 20 months in the fortress, which was besieged by Polish troops. Although the Poles still managed to take the city, King Sigismund III, who spent all his money on the siege, had to abandon the idea of going to Moscow. And the Moscow garrison of Poles, which did not receive military assistance, surrendered to the Russian militia under the leadership of Dmitry Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin.
6. Murom – 1155 years
This small city, located on the left bank of the Oka, is mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years. Its name supposedly came from the Muroma tribe, although historians do not rule out an inverse relationship. One of the main characters of the Russian epic epic, the legendary hero Ilya Muromets, comes from the city of Murom. The townspeople are proud of this and even erected a monument to the hero in the city park.
5. Rostov the Great - 1156 years
Rostov, the current center of the Yaroslavl region, traces its official chronology back to 862. After its founding, the city became one of the most important settlements in the Rostov-Suzdal land. And he got the prefix “Great” thanks to the Ipatiev Chronicle. In it, when describing the events of 1151 (the victory of Prince Izyaslav Mstislavich over Yuri Dolgoruky), Rostov was called the Great.
4. Veliky Novgorod – 1158 years
At the beginning of June 2018, Veliky Novgorod will celebrate the 1159th anniversary of its founding. According to the official version, Rurik was called to reign here. And in 1136 Novgorod became the first free republic in the history of feudal Rus'. The city escaped the fate of many Russian cities and was not affected by the Mongol invasion. Precious architectural monuments of Rus' from the pre-Mongol period have been preserved in it to this day.
3. Old Ladoga - over 1250 years old
In 2003, the village of Staraya Ladoga celebrated its 1250th anniversary. Until 1703, the settlement was called “Ladoga” and had the status of a city. The first mention of Ladoga dates back to 862 AD (the time of the calling of the Varangian Rurik to reign). There is even a version that Ladoga is the first capital of Rus', because Rurik reigned there, and not in Novgorod.
2. Derbent - over 2000 years
If you conduct a survey about which is the oldest city in Russia, most educated people will name Derbent as such. This sun-drenched city, the southernmost in Russia, located in the Republic of Dagestan, officially celebrated its 2000th anniversary in September 2015. However, many Derbent residents, as well as some scientists conducting excavations on the territory of Derbent, are confident that the city is 3000 years older.
The Caspian Gate - and this is precisely the ancient name of Derbent - was mentioned as a geographical object back in the 6th century. Don e. in the works of the ancient Greek geographer Hecataeus of Miletus. And the beginning of the modern city was laid in 438 AD. e. Then Derbent was the Persian fortress of Naryn-Kala, with two fortress walls blocking the path along the shore of the Caspian Sea. And the earliest mention of Derbent as a stone city was in 568 AD or the 37th year of the reign of Shah Khosrow I Anushirvan.
The date of 2000 years is not exact, but more of an anniversary date, and refers to the time of the appearance of the first fortifications in Caucasian Albania.
Until 2014, when the Crimean Peninsula returned to Russia, Derbent held the title of the oldest Russian city. However, in 2017, the Rambler / Saturday media reported that The Academic Council of the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences recognized Kerch as the most ancient city in Russia. The ruins of the ancient Greek colony of Panticapaeum have been preserved on the territory of the city. Historically, Kerch is the heir of Panticapaeum and its age has exceeded 2600 years.
According to archaeological research, the foundation of Kerch dates back to the time range from 610 to 590 BC. e. Historical and architectural monuments belonging to different eras have been preserved on its territory. These include: burial mounds from the Bronze Age, the ruins of the city of Nymphaeum, the ancient settlement of Myrmekiy, etc.
Kerch did not immediately receive its current name, after Panticapaeum ceased to be the historical and cultural center of the Black Sea region.
- In the 8th century, the city came under the rule of the Khazar Khaganate and was renamed from Panticapaeum to Karsha or Charsha.
- In the 10th century, the Northern Black Sea region came under the control of the Rus. The Tmutarakan principality appeared, which included the city of Karsha, named Korchev. It was one of the most important sea gates of Kievan Rus.
- In the 12th century, Korchev came under Byzantine rule, and in the 14th century it became part of the Black Sea Genoese colonies, and was called Vospro, as well as Cherchio. The local inhabitants also retained the name Korchev in everyday use.
- In the 15th century, the merchant and diplomat Josaphat Barbaro, in one of the chapters of his work “Travels to Tana,” named the city Chersh (Kersh).
- In 1475, the Turks captured the Genoese colonies and Cerchio became part of the Ottoman Empire. The city began to be called Cherzeti. He repeatedly suffered from raids by Zaporozhye Cossacks.
- In the 16th century, ambassadors of the Moscow kings going to the Crimean Khan knew the city as “Kerch”.
- In 1774, Kerch (already under its final name) became part of the Russian Empire. This happened following the results of the Russian-Turkish War of 1768-1774.
In order for Kerch to officially top the list of the oldest cities in Russia, it is necessary to obtain the approval of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Russian government. The management of the East Crimean Nature Reserve prepared the relevant documents last year.
